One Day - Preview Review

Who's in it? 

Jim Sturgess , Anne Hathaway, Rafe Spall, Ken Stott

What's it about? 

Dexter and Emma, having spent a drunken graduation night together make a plan when they awake for St. Swithin's Day, the 15th of July. One Day goes on to show snapshots of their lives on the following 20 15ths of July. Often times together but sometimes not. To say its a love story is simplifying it a bit, its more a story of life, glimpses of relateable and entertaining struggles as each grow into their own skin and the people they are destined to be. 

Any Good? 

Like the Lovely Bones adaptation before it my thumbs are still hovering mid air about this one. Having read the book and loved it last year, the film was never going to live up to it. Though I usually feel that way.

In fairness Jim Sturgess plays a blinder as Dex, quiffy/obnoxious Dex, whom I had very little time for while reading. Sturgess has helped me empathise with the character, definitely the sign of a great actor. I can almost forgive him for the weirdest film I've yet to see, Heartless. You find yourself rooting for Dex, wanting the best for him even if he doesn't. 

Anne Hathaway as Emma had huge potential, she was actually believable, until she spoke. Honestly how much does a dialect coach cost in the grand scheme of things? I wanted to like her, I really did but not knowing whether the next line would be Harry Enfield's Scouser 'Calm down Dex, eh la?' or a Wool Pack extras 'Eh up chuck, fancy a bitter?' just put me off, right off. Her London accent was believable, if only she stuck with it. While her lines were funny, on paper, they were delivered in a mish mash of accents that just lost it for me. Shame.

I have to give a nod to Ken Stott as Dex's father though, one of the greatest actors of our time brought the character to life. Truly believable as a Dad that just wants the best for his boy, in-spite of his boy. 

The scenes that were taken directly from the book are well executed and instantly recognisable but there's so much missing that would have woven the story together, that happens in adaptations. I suppose.

As I've said I knew I'd be biased having truly enjoyed the novel so asked my date for the evening, who hadn't, my Mamito. Her take? 'There was the makings of a great film there'.

One Day is a wonderful story, beautifully written and while the film as a standalone works, if you love your books, as I do, you're really doing yourself & David Nicholls a disservice if you watch this before reading. It's a good movie but its a Great book.